This is just a simple list of tips that I’ve compiled for friends & family that have asked how to pull off a great Texas Style Brisket on the Big Green Egg. Take from this list what you like and make it your own – and leave a tip below if you have one to share!

The brisket will “Stall” around 160-180 – meaning the temperature will stop climbing for some time. I’ve had briskets stall for up to 4 hours! Do not freak out – let it ride

Once the brisket comes out of the “stall” (temp starts increasing at a faster rate) – wrap in the pink butcher paper and put back on the egg – letting it continue to cook through to 195-200F (or until it probes like butter – I have has some briskets that were perfect at 195 – others that have gone to 203)

Probe placement in the brisket – I only probe the flat of the brisket – the point will cook just fine (and actually faster then the flat due to the fat content, so don’t worry about that side of the brisket)

Egg Setup/Starting Notes:

Clean out your egg and stock with fresh lump the day before the cook, that way it’s ready to go when you are starting it at O dark thirty.

Plan to start your egg 1 hours ahead of starting your cook – that way you’ve allowed plenty of time for the egg to stabilize and get a good smoke run.

Fill egg with lump to the top of the firebox – light in the center of the lump, close the egg and let egg climb to 250F

Once egg is at 250F, place your oak chunks on the lump in a circular pattern, with 1 piece in the center on the fire.

Place your plate setter in the egg, legs up

Add the drip tray with water on top of the plate setter – I use disposable aluminum trays that are about 3 inches deep – and I fill those all the way up (so plenty of water)

Add your grid on top of the plate setter and close the egg.

Let the egg get happy and stabilize between 225F-250F

The Brisket Cook:

Put the brisket on the egg with the Fat side down. The fat cap will actually protect the brisket from the heat in the egg, preventing a “crispy” crunchy bottom.

Probe placement in the brisket – I only probe the flat of the brisket – the point will cook just fine (and actually faster than the flat due to the fat content, so don’t worry about that side of the brisket)

Shut the egg and let it ride – use the temp probes to watch the temperature without opening the egg.

On some brisket cooks, I’ve started the egg at midnight, put the brisket on and then went back to bed – the egg will do it’s thing just fine.

You may need to open it and fill the drip tray occasionally. If the drip tray drys out, it will start to burn and leave you with a bad taste on the bark

Target finished temp of the brisket 195-200F

The brisket will “Stall” around 160-18F – meaning the temperature will stop climbing for some time. I’ve had briskets stall for up to 4 hours!

Once the brisket comes out of the “stall” – wrap in the pink butcher paper and put back on the egg – letting it continue to cook through to 195-200F (or until it probes like butter – I have had some briskets that were perfect at 195F)

After the Cook:

Once you’ve hit the magical zone for the brisket, pull it off the egg and place on a sheet pan and let rest at room temperature (still wrapped in the paper) until the temp reaches 165F.

This could take some time as the brisket will actually continue to cook and will go up to about 210-215F before the temp starts declining

At this point, either place in an ice chest to hold warm or start to slice and serve

If placing in an ice chest to hold, put a drip tray underneath the brisket because it will drip all over your ice chest.

That’s it! Seems like a lot at first – but as with anything, the devil is in the details and after a few brisket cooks, this will all be second nature

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6 Comments

I did one yesterday that was about ten pounds and a bit thin, although it plumped once it absorbed some heat. My on!y issue was keeping the temperature down. It kept rising into the 300’s even with the vents almost closed. I finally used some water to knock it down and that did the trick.
My guests were impressed and I was very pleased with the results .